Easy 30 Minute Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma

Want a fast and easy way to indulge in delicious Middle Eastern cuisine on a busy weeknight? Try this simple low carb oven roasted sheet pan chicken shawarma recipe you can make in just 30 minutes.

I love a fast, easy, flavor packed chicken dinners that not only satisfies my comfort food takeout cravings (especially if the weather is cold). A good sheet pan meal can be simple and uncomplicated, while still tasting beyond delicious and feel gourmet at the same time.

While I already have this whole roasted chicken shawarma recipe you can try (and don’t get me wrong it’s really easy), I wanted to share a faster version that could quickly be prepared when the mood strikes last minute.

This recipe was designed to also fit any diet or lifestyle. It naturally works well for those following a low carb or ketogenic diet, is gluten free, and also whole 30 compliant. Get more nutritional details below and find ways to make dietary modifications by reading the article.

Let’s talk shawarma spices, veggies, and all the cooking details below!

“School” Supplies:

• Baking Sheet
• Large Bowl
• Whisk
• Measuring Spoons
• Knife & Cutting Board

“Class” Notes:

What Is Chicken Shawarma?

A classic chicken shawarma is made from thinly cut, marinated pieces of chicken, that’s placed on a large spit and slowly roasted. Typically this Middle Eastern dish is cooked rotisserie style, but could also be cooked like a kebab.

In the past, I typically bought this from takeout restaurants where they serve it up in a warmed pita with a variety of grilled or pickled veggies, hummus or tahini sauce, garlic sauce, and maybe a side of rice. I wanted to make my own version at home in under 30 minutes.

Chicken Shawarma Spices:

Chicken shawarma is all about the blend of spices used to season and marinade your chicken in. Here’s what you need:

• Salt
• Cumin
• Coriander
• Cloves
• Cinnamon
• Turmeric
• Ginger
• Aleppo Pepper (optional but adds some heat)

While I have a fairly extensive spice cabinet and can quickly make this blend, I know not everyone may have these on hand. You may be able to find pre-made shawarma blends or you can stick to the main four of cumin, coriander, cloves, and cinnamon to get the main flavor profile.

Mix these spices with olive oil (or other oil of your choice) and some lemon juice. I like to whisk everything together in a bowl or use a small bullet blender to get everything mixed well.

Making and Baking Your Sheet Pan Shawarma:

To make and assemble this recipe, start by slicing up your chicken into pieces. For recipes like this I tend to gravitate towards boneless chicken thighs. They seem to get less dry and reheat better in my opinion (which makes for a better meal prep outcome). If you prefer white meat, use chicken breast instead.

Once the chicken is trimmed and sliced into 1/4 inch strips, place in in a large bowl and mix it into the shawarma seasoning and marinade mixture. If you have more time, you can always place this in the fridge or overnight if desired. Remove the chicken from your bowl and place it on your baking sheet to be roasted.

While you can literally just cook the chicken as is, no sheet pan meal is complete without some roasted veggies. I like to use some largely sliced red onions and tomatoes. I prefer tp keep the raw chicken on one half of the pan and the veggies on the other side to limit the potential of cross-contamination.

Bake the chicken and veggies at 425 F. until the chicken is cooked to 165 F. internally and your veggies are tender and roasted nicely. Remove from the oven and allow it to rest about 5 minutes or so. Then mix the veggies and the chicken together before serving.

While you can pile everything into a bowl and just eat as is, I like to serve mine up family style (I do this with my Greek Chicken Kebabs and my butter chicken kebabs too) so everyone can make their own chicken shawarma bowl or wrap.

To pair along with the chicken shawarma mixture, I like mixed olives, sliced cucumber, lettuce and hummus spread. If you’re looking for a low carb wrap idea, try pairing it with my low carb flatbreads or try store bought varieties for ease.

Wrap not your style? Try serving it over white or brown rice, quinoa, or the best cauliflower rice recipe for more of a chicken shawarma style buddha bowl.

Meal Prep and Reheating Tips:

If you’re looking to add this to a meal prep rotation, I suggest prepping your roasted veggies ahead of time, but not making until you decide to eat this dish. Alternatively, you could par-bake them and finish reheating them in a frying pan or microwave when using up your leftovers.

Additionally, you can store your chicken in the marinade (uncooked) in the fridge and bake as needed. If reheating cooked meat, simply microwave or even cook it up in the frying pan. Eating this cold over lettuce as a salad is a great alternative too!

Get the full recipe below and check out more low carb meal prep recipes rounded up here! Additionally, if you like this shawarma inspired dish, be sure to also check out these flavor packed recipes for Curry Chicken Salad, Grilled Moroccan Chicken, or these easy Butter Chicken Meatballs too.

Easy 30 Minute Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma

Want a fast and easy way to indulge in delicious Middle Eastern cuisine on a busy weeknight? Try this quick and easy sheet pan chicken shawarma recipe you can make in just 30 minutes.

5 from 26 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Dishes

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Keyword: Easy 30 Minute Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 328kcal

Author: Bon Appeteach

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. Boneless Chicken Thighs trimmed and sliced thin
• 8 oz. Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 Small Red Onion Sliced Large
• 1 Lemon Juiced
• 3 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 2 tsp. Sea Salt
• 1 tbsp. Cumin
• 2 tsp Coriander
• 1/2 tsp. Turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Cloves
• 1/4 tsp. Ginger
• 1/2 tsp. Aleppo Pepper sub with Cayenne if needed
• Optional Toppings: Sliced lettuce olives, garlic spread, hummus, flatbread or pita bread, cauliflower rice or regular rice.

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 425 F.
• In a bowl combine your olive oil, lemon juice, and all your spices. Whisk well so everything is mixed.
• Slice your chicken into thin strips and toss into the marinade and spice mixture and coat the chicken entirely.
• Place the chicken pieces on one half of your baking sheet and toss the tomatoes and onions onto the other half.
• Bake about 15 minutes in the oven until the chicken is fully cooked to 165 F.
• Remove from the oven and mix the chicken and veggies together. I like to serve this up family style on a platter with low carb flatbreads, lettuce, garlic spread, hummus, and olives too.

Video

Notes

If you prefer to use white meat, swap the chicken thighs for chicken breast meat instead.

Garlic Spread- This is a popular Middle Eastern condiment. I like to buy the pre-made kind from Trader Joe’s but here is a great homemade recipe you can make if you prefer. It’s a great add on for wraps if you are a garlic lover.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 328kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 184mg | Sodium: 1047mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g